Prevalence of reproductive coercion among male and female emerging adults

Reproductive coercion (RC), or the exertion of power and control over a partner's reproductive choices and health, is gaining attention as a distinct form of intimate partner violence (IPV). The bulk of research in this area centers on female victims with an emphasis on pregnancy coercion and the disproportionate effect of pregnancy on women. Researchers conducting systematic reviews of this literature note that RC includes behaviors in addition to pregnancy coercion and the need exists to consider male RC victims and how their experiences differ from female victims. This study compares RC between male and female emerging adults (those aged 18-25 years) using the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS). Emerging adults are selected as a population at greater risk for IPV than other age groups. NISVS provides an opportunity to conduct this research as it is one of the only national data collections that measures RC across male and female respondents. This study finds more female than male emerging adults experience RC, but both groups experience RC with other forms of IPV. This exploratory study concludes with a discussion of future research for RC involving male victims and the emerging adult population.